THE ORIGINAL MASTERPIECE OF PERSONAL REFLECTION

At the time Michel de Montaigne was writing, most books were about great people or events, or works of academic theology or philosophy. He instead aimed to relay, with total honesty, his habits, doubts, and weaknesses, and any modest wisdom he had gained as a son, husband, politician, and reader. This very subjective approach to knowledge established the modern form of the essay. Montaigne’s vast range of topics include human nature, books, cannibals, smells, sex, household management, education, politics, and happiness.

This selected edition, based on the popular Charles Cotton translation, includes many of the classic essays along with some lesser-known ones. It includes an insightful Introduction by Montaigne scholar Philippe Desan which reveals how the Essays transformed literature by elevating the familiar over the abstract. In the process, Montaigne created a template for the modern, questioning self.

An essential companion to the most relevant works of Michel de Montaigne

Essays: The Philosophy Classic delivers a carefully curated collection of thought-provoking works by sixteenth-century thinker Michel De Montaigne. Exploring topics as diverse as politics, poetry, love, friendship and the purpose of philosophy, this latest entry in the celebrated Capstone Classics series is accessible and intuitively organized.

Follow the thoughts of the person who created the essay genre in literature as he expresses his philosophy, interests, and learning. Throughout, you’ll be guided by an expansive introduction by leading Montaigne scholar Philippe Desan and the comments of series editor Tom Butler-Bowdon, placing the work of Montaigne in its historical and philosophical context.

You’ll also find:

• Celebrated and famous works by Montaigne, including noted classics like “That to Study Philosophy is to Learn to Die”
• Lesser-known works that have taken on increased importance in the unique context of the 21st-century
• A version of the popular Charles Cotton translation first published in 1685: a simple, faithful, and clear adaptation of the French original

An invaluable resource for anyone interested in the insightful and illuminating work of one of the most enduring thinkers of the 16th-century, Essays: The Philosophy Classic is an essential addition to the libraries of philosophers, historians, and laypeople seeking an eye-opening and fascinating exploration of life itself.